I'm a little obsessed with these boys lately. They are just so cute!
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I'm a little obsessed with these boys lately. They are just so cute!
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Hiccup and Astrid agree: Their relationship is too fresh to expose it to their overly nosy friends. But when a game of drunk Spin the Bottle presents them with a dare including ice cubes... They might be too distracted to care.
I got myself a new drawing tablet. And, naturally, the first thing I draw is some more Astrid. 🤷♀️ I’m not sorry.
What it means to be Chief - Chapter 1: Parting
So, I was asked to upload here as well so... here you go ;) Warning: M-rated ;)
When Chief Hiccup Haddock returned home that night, he was exhausted. What a day! What a long and very unpleasant day… But finally, it was over.
He unbuckled his fur coat and the uncomfortable weapon's belt, dropped both on the trunk near the entrance, next to a pair of pauldrons and with an exhausted sigh, he slumped down into the gigantic chair that had once belonged to his father. He rested his face in his hands, arms propped up on the table in front of him and for a moment simply enjoyed the ease and comfort around him.
The room was warm with a low fire burning in the hearth, its crackling the only sound and the air was filled with the scent of a hearty stew. He could feel his stomach rumbling at that. When was the last time he'd eaten? Breakfast? Probably… Although, hadn't he needed to leave in a hurry that morning because of that quarrel down at the docks? Had he eaten anything at all today? He wasn't sure… He probably should get up, look for the food and for –
With a light knock, a bowl filled with still steaming stew was placed in front of him followed by a second one and he noticeably relaxed as a pair of soft lips touched his forehead. He hummed due to her lingering kiss and the way her fingers lightly caressed his face.
"I almost thought you'd spent the whole night up in the Great Hall today." She said in a light voice, but beneath the teasing tone, he could also hear her weariness.
"Yeah…," he answered slowly. "I thought so, too." He grimaced slightly as she withdrew her lips and fingers but a moment later, he heard the scraping of wood on wood as she drew her chair back to sit down as well. He opened his eyes to look at her. The sight of her always served to make him feel better in any situation.
She already had put off most of her usual armor and her hair was already down, falling in golden waves down her back. She, too, looked exhausted but then that was no surprise, really. Summer was drawing to an end and the preparations for the winter were in full swing. These days, nobody was at a loss of work. "You should eat," she remarked, nudging him lightly. "before it gets cold. Would be a shame…"
Hiccup eyed his wife carefully as she blew on the spoon full of stew and then pushed it into her mouth. She put in a lot of effort into getting better with all this domestic stuff as she called it, he knew and appreciated that but that didn't mean that her skills in that area were worth mentioning yet.
In this case though, she seemed to have been doing well, because she hummed contently and her features relaxed instantly as she chewed on that first mouthful. Reassured, he reached for the second spoon and yes, he had to admit it tasted delicious! They ate in silence, both too hungry and too weary for any conversation for now.
After he'd emptied the bowl, he leaned back into the chair with a satisfied sigh. "That was just what I needed right now," he admitted. He was still groggy, his mind too full of thoughts about everything that he'd had to do today and yet, he felt better. The warmth of the fire from the outside and of the stew from the inside did their work and he felt himself beginning to relax. "And you made this?"
. o O o .
Astrid glared at him for a moment. There was just a bit too much of surprise in his voice at these words. But then, he was right… If she would have been able to prepare a meal only remotely like this, she would stop taking these dreadful lessons from her mother immediately.
"No, my mom did," she admitted, not ashamed of that fact. In a normal household with another couple, this confession might have been embarrassing for the wife in question but with them, things were different. He hadn't fallen in love with her for her domestic skills after all. She had to gain those eventually, she knew and always had known that, but for now neither of them cared too much. "She only let me slice the vegetables and meat." He nodded with a small smile on his tired face and closed his eyes again.
He didn't look well. Sure, after their meal, he looked better, but still not well. She knew that this day hadn't been an easy one, another one of Berk's gripe days and a council meeting to plan the additional chores for the upcoming winter. Repairing fences and storehouses, recapturing livestock, the usual. But still, there seemed to be more, something else that occupied his mind. Well, rumors had even reached her busy ears today. And they seemed to be true…
"How was your day?" She asked artlessly and watched him grimace. He pressed his lips into a thin line and slowly shook his head.
"And yours?" he asked back evasively. She gazed at him for a little longer, then stood up and walked toward him. She sat down on his lap, straddling him and lightly placed her hands on his neck. He groaned as she began to massage his stiff muscles but quickly relaxed further.
"Nothing unusual," She said absentmindedly while her hands worked his neck and shoulders. "After the meeting, I helped Valka and Eret with the young Hobblegrunts and Shovelhelms. Their training turns out to be much more demanding than expected. Luckily that doesn't go for the new riders as well. Their training went well, I would never have thought Snot of all people would be such a good teacher." She chuckled lightly and caught his lips twitching into a smile as well. Her hand wandered upward into his hair, massaging his scalp through his thick mane while he placed his on her thighs, drawing calm circles on their outsides.
"Later, I helped Ruff carrying more of her stuff over to her new house." She continued. "I never expected to see the day when she and Tuff actually wouldn't live together anymore but here it is. Although I'm not sure whether Snot is such a good alternative, compared to Tuff. Well, it was her choice… I just hope this thing with Tuff's Lia works out, for his sake!" She wasn't sure how closely her husband was listening by now. His hands were on her hips now, not yet drawing her closer and only holding her firmly. But he also seemed to be lost in his own thought, too caught up to relax. She knew her babbling would distract him from those all too demanding thoughts so she went on. "And then we all met at my mother's of course. She's still incredulous about how a bunch of green girls suddenly ended up being wives and I'm not saying that I mind her attempts at teaching us… I know she means well and I know she has a point but still…" She sniffed exaggeratedly and caught his lips stretching into a wider grin. Goal achieved!
She felt his hands digging harder into her hip, subconsciously pulling her toward him while she let her fingertips glide over his face, his cheekbones, his jawline, and his lips. She was reluctant to raise that other topic. He finally seemed to lighten up. But it needed to be done, they needed to talk about it if what she'd heard was true. She brushed her lips lightly over his before she continued: "And then, while my mom tried to teach us how to season the stew, Mrs. Ingerman showed up." Beneath her, she felt him stiffen instantly. Because, of course, Mrs. Ingerman had heard the news first and she was well known to be the biggest gossipmonger of Berk. "She told us about a T-mail that arrived from Berserker Island. Apparently, she's going to be a grandmother soon and was very excited. My mom gave me a reproachful look but I don't know that I'm ready to stop drinking the moon tea. Not yet…" She observed his reaction closely, though not because of what she'd said. They were on one on that point. No, she observed him because of what she hadn't said yet. "She also told us about another note that came with it." She mumbled against his neck. "A message from Dagur?"
. o O o .
There it was, that dreaded message and all those thoughts that had come with it. Hiccup tensed up all over again, ruining all her efforts to get him to relax in an instant. He barely noticed how his fingers dug harder into her and only lighten his grip as he felt her shifting uncomfortably beneath his hands. He didn't want to deal with that, not right now at least, didn't want to think about what they… what he needed to do! There was no way around it and of course, he had to talk about it with her, but not yet… Not now…
He nodded to let her know that there truly was a message from Dagur and that he didn't intend to keep it from her. He would tell her, she needed to know but not now! Now, he just wanted to hold her, to feel her. He needed her!
He wrapped his arms more tightly around her, drew her body against his and apparently, that was all the invitation she needed. He exhaled sharply into her hair as she purposefully ground her warm center against his crotch. The sensation sent a hot wave of desire through his already heated body. Gods, she was incredible! He felt her hand on his cheek, lifting his face toward her and a moment later, her lips were on his. There was no caution in this kiss, no hesitance, no room for doubts as to where it would lead them. Her tongue darted out to meet his, playfully challenging him and she pressed herself against him, her soft body melting against his chest. Her closeness wiped away every coherent thought in his mind in an instant, as always, and his body moved more out of instinct than anything else. She gasped into his mouth as he bucked beneath her, his growing bulge pressing into the damp heat between her legs. Their breaths mingled more and more while they worked each other up, hands gliding over skin and bodies rubbing against each other. Then she leaned back, quickly loosened the buckles and clasps of his armor and he used the break to push her shirt up and over her head - to reveal her already bare breasts beneath. He groaned as the sight sent another wave of hot need through his body and down into his loins. She really was-
"…incredible." He gasped shakily and reached for her, drawing her closer again. He ran his lips up and down her neck, exhaling against her sensitive skin while his hands carefully slid up her body. She arched into his touch, seeking more and he was all too willing to giving her just that. A suppressed moan escaped her, the sweetest sound, as his fingertips finally reached the swell of her breasts, grazing the sensitive flesh lightly for a moment before he moved on, carefully cupping those firm hills with his calloused hands. He watched her trembling in anticipation while his thumbs glided up to her peaks, playfully flicking them a few times, drawing light circles around them and finally pinched them in the way he by now knew would drive her crazy. She cried out and firmly pressed down on his crotch again, eager for more friction, more sensation, just more!
More… Yes, he could give her more, would give her everything! He leaned down to slowly lick over the hot, white skin of her breasts, leaving a prickling wet line to remind her where he'd been. His tongue and teeth made their way to her nipple, nibbling and teasing while his hands slid back down to her hips and through the tangles of her studded skirt toward her ass. He grabbed her cheeks and continuedly rolled her hips toward him to meet his jerking ones with every thrust. She moaned freely now, moving with him, her arms wrapped around his neck and her fingers dug into his back and buried in his hair. He moved a little faster, jerking up in abandon, spurred on by her needy noises and urgent motions. Gods, he needed her, wanted her, needed to know that she was his, that he was hers. He needed to - to stop! Now, or he would- would…
With a desperate groan, he pulled his mouth away from her and forced himself to stop thrusting into her through their clothes. She deserved better than this! At the sudden lack of sensation, she whimpered and gazed down at him through bleary eyes. He tried to say something, anything but his mind was too dazed already to form any coherent words. Instead, he just tugged helplessly at her skirt's tassels, the first thing he could get a hold on. She nodded, panting and crawled back, off his lap. He watched her in rapt attention as she quickly stripped off her skirt and legging only to reveal that she wasn't wearing any undergarment at all anymore.
. o O o .
Astrid threw him a feverish look while she got rid of her remaining clothes. She loved how he watched her doing so, completely captivated as if it was the first time he saw her like this. They were married for a few months now and getting naked, getting intimate with each other wasn't awkward or strange anymore. But it was still far from being ordinary and she hoped that would never change. She saw him swallowing as he raked her naked body and she gave him a sly smile as she sauntered back toward him.
Another thing she loved, although she would never admit it out loud, was how easily she could make him forget everything else with just a touch or a sound. She knew he never stopped thinking, never stopped considering options, never stopped pondering over one problem or another, one of his inventions or his duties as chief. His mind never stopped working unless they were together, skin on skin. She could see how his mind took a break now, how his thoughts rested and his head relaxed. It felt good to have this much power over him and even better to be able to do this for him. Because his mind needed a break every now and then, needed it dearly! And the simple fact how much fun having sex was was only the topping.
His eyes never left her as she dropped onto one knee in front of him and loosened the clasps that held his fake leg until she was able to take it off. While she stood up again, she let her hands run up his legs, rested them on his thighs and leaned over to give him another lingering kiss, almost playful in its innocence after their heated exchange before. Teasingly, she nudged her hands upward toward the considerable bulge in his leather pants and as they reached their goal, she rubbed against him with just enough pressure to make him shudder and gasp. Then, without tormenting him much further, she hooked her fingers below his waistband and pulled his pants and coverings down and off. He didn't help more than was necessary, knew all too well by now that she didn't want him to. Stripping him of his clothes was her privilege and his gift to her. As long as he didn't take over completely - and by Thor's hammer, she loved it when he did that! – it was her decision when and if they got rid of which clothes.
But tonight, she wanted to feel him, his hot skin beneath her hands. She crawled back onto his lap and pushed her damp center against his erection. "A… Astrid…" he gasped pleadingly but she didn't react like he probably wanted her to. Instead, she tugged at his leather armor and afterward at his tunic to pull both over his head, all the while twitching and twisting to further rub against him. As soon as his arms were free again, his hands were back on her hips, restraining her teasing, pulling her closer.
"Easy there…" she breathed and placed her hands on his chest, for stabilization and to indicate him to stay still. Slowly, very slowly, she pushed herself up, sliding her clit and her soaked core up and down his length. The sensation was overwhelming, sending hot desire through her already excited body but that was not why she did it. She watched with gleaming eyes as his rolled back into his head for a moment. He groaned and twitched beneath her, his hand still on her hips but he didn't even try to take over, made no further attempt to pull her close and down onto him. His hands didn't leave her but now they were more clinging to her than anything else, clinging to her for dear sanity while he waited for her to go on. He gave himself up to her, utterly and completely and his trust in her almost made her choke. Gods, how much she loved him!
She leaned down to place another kiss on his lips, not innocent at all this time as she nibbled on his lower lip and sucked it into her mouth just as she angled her hip the right way and firmly sank down on him, taking him in completely. They gasped in unison at the sensation and feeling so utterly full with him inside her made her shudder and clench uncontrollably. Gods, it felt so good, so right!
After a moment to adjust to him, she slowly began to move up and down his length, an exercise that suited her well-toned thighs. Every now and then, she paused to grind into him though, moaning wantonly when he teased that sweet spot deep inside her. She felt his fingers digging deeper into her butt cheeks as he tried to hold himself back, hold himself still as she wanted him to, to not grab her and thrust into her greedily. His cock inside her twitched and throbbed unmistakably, his heat radiating through her entire being. She became lightheaded and her breathing exhilarated uncontrollably as desire made her insides tense up deliciously. She was almost there, caught glimpses and sparks of her rising orgasm already. Just a bit more… She bit down on her lip, hard but wasn't able to completely suppress the needy moan from escaping her. His control over his body had become better during the past months but after she'd worked him up so thoroughly it was probably hanging by a thread by now. No more games.
. o O o .
Hiccup thought he might die any moment now. His head was empty, every thought thoroughly wiped away by her actions, again! All he could think about was how beautiful she was, how tight and hot she was around his cock, how sweet her moans and sobs sounded as she worked up both their tension.
God, yes, he wanted to take over, to mindlessly thrust into her hot and wet center until this unbearably tight coil in his guts snapped, until their howls echoed off the walls. But just as much, he wanted to just take what she had to give. Watching her bouncing up and down above him, watching her taking him in every time again, watching her face contort with barely concealable pleasure, it was incredible! And her noises… her helpless cries and urgent gasps, it was almost more than he could bear. No, he couldn't take over, even if he had wanted to. Just clinging on to her to hold his climax back just a little bit longer was about all he could muster.
He felt her tighten around him and recognized it as a sign that she, too, was close. Just a bit… longer… He told himself as a particularly drawn-out moan of her sent his head spinning. He forced his hands to loosen their iron grip on her ass and let them wander to her front instead. Another advantage of this position was that he had his hands free to pleasure her further! The rhythm of her bouncing faltered slightly as he rested his hand on her lower belly, moving up and down with her while his thumb pressed down on her clit.
She whimpered and sobbed weakly and moved a few more times, rubbing herself against his thumb before she firmly pressed down on his cock with a piercing scream. Her fingers dug into his skin, her entire body spasming as she came undone above him. Her inner walls clenched down on him hard, choking him and it finally was more than he could take. Even if their house would have come tumbling down on them right now, he couldn't have cared less as he arched up, pressing into her more firmly and released into her hot core with an unrestrained howl.
Some while later, Hiccup lay in the fur-nest by the hearth, his limbs entangled with those of his wife beside him. He wasn't sure how they'd made it over here from the gigantic chair but he didn't really care either way. After their shared climax, she'd all but collapsed on top of him, trembling and panting and his condition hadn't been any better. He'd been able to lay his heavy arms around her back and nothing more. It had been all his body had been capable off while his head had refused to work at all for a while.
But now, clarity slowly crept back into his mind. He remembered just how public their living room really was. He was the chief and whenever there was a problem, people just burst in here without hesitation. Or, Gods forgive, knocking! Right after their wedding, people had been a bit more cautious for a few weeks he'd noticed but that had worn off by now. Anyone could have barged in on them at any moment. And still could! In fact, it was almost a miracle nobody already had, with that news surely spreading like wildfire through the village.
"Astrid?" he asked cautiously. He didn't want to wake her but they were still lying around naked where chances were high for anyone to see them and the thought was weird. He knew that with the typical Viking-like lack of caution and restraint, things like that happened all the time. Hel, it had happened to him more than once when he was younger and had made deliveries for Gobber. But he never would have thought to find himself on the other side one day…
She stirred next to him, murmured something unintelligible and moved to cuddle him more closely. He laid his arm around her and began to cautiously rub her back, to slowly wake her up completely.
"Astrid, we should get up. Get dressed or get over to the bedroom or…" She stirred again but only to cuddle even closer to him and wrap one lithe arm around his torso.
"Mmhhhnnoo…" She mumbled against his chest without ever opening her eyes.
"But… Someone could come in, could see us… you… I mean…" He trailed off as her hold around his chest tightened and her warm body was suddenly pressed against his once more.
"Mmngh don't care," she murmured with a sigh and rubbed her cheek against his chest. "I want to stay like this… just a bit longer…" He smiled and closed his arms around her. He couldn't deny that he wanted that, too. "Just… Maybe pull over one of the furs?" She suggested hesitantly, almost like an afterthought. "It's getting a bit cold, you know…"
"Of course…" He chuckled but obeyed, covering them both with one of the bigger furs in reach.
They stayed like this for a little while longer, lazily caressing each other and murmuring sweet nothings. Her hand was on his face, her palm on his cheek and he nuzzled into it before she moved on, her fingertips outlining his features.
"What did Dagur want?" She suddenly asked and he grimaced.
. o O o .
Astrid watched him closely. Even relaxed as he was, her question had brought back those lines of stress around his mouth and eyes in an instant. She'd heard the rumors… That the men were preparing for a long journey on ships, just like they'd done years ago when they'd been looking for the dragon nest. She hadn't believed it really, why would anyone on Berk make such a journey on ships? Even if there were more people or equipment to transport, their dragons made for a far quicker journey, even if they were only used to pull the ships. But Mrs. Ingerman's mention of Dagur'S letter and her husband's anxiety… There seemed to be at least some truth is those rumors.
"He asked me for a favor," he finally answered. "You know I can't deny him that but aside from that, it's also a necessity for me… for us as well." He shook his head as if to chase away unwanted thoughts. Then he turned to the side, to better be able to look at her and began to talk.
"The Redthorn tribe… I guess you haven't heard much of them before?" He asked and she shook her head. That name didn't ring a bell, really. "They are a rather reclusive tribe in the east, or they used to be, at least. Dagur got word, that they became more active lately and with more active he means they are purchasing weapons and equipment. He doesn't know what they are planning, but… It made him wary and you know Dagur. Anything that makes him wary should be reason enough for everyone else to be cautious as well." He paused and ran his fingertips down the side of her face.
"He doesn't want to directly start a war. Thankfully, those times are over! But he wants to visit them. He wants to talk and maybe negotiate a peace treaty while everything's still calm. And he asked me to join him, said it probably would make a bigger impression on them when two tribes, two chiefs came with this request."
"Especially if one of them is the legendary Dragon Master…" she added with a playful smile but that only made him grimace further.
"Yeah, well…" He murmured reluctantly. "That's kind of where the problems begin. The Redthorns don't have many dragons in their area but are very hostile towards them nonetheless. If we want them to even consider a peace treaty, then we can't just barge in on our dragon on their island. We are the ones with the request after all. We have to abide by their rules as much as possible. My reputation as… as Dragon Master won't help. The Hooligan tribe is a powerful one and that's why they might consider a treaty but only if we keep the dragons out of it. Maybe we can change their minds later, but…"
She nodded thoughtfully. That explained the ships. "How far is their island? How long will we be gone?" Surely, Valka and Gobber would be able to run the village for a while, the blacksmith, in particular, was used to that anyway. But winter was coming and when they were traveling on ships they would need to return before the ice came.
She noticed how his face twisted in anguish and watched him more carefully. What else was there, what hadn't he told her yet?
"It'll take us about two weeks to reach their island on ships." He answered reluctantly. Well, that wasn't too bad. Even with a customary visit of a month's duration, they'd be back in two months, long before the ice closed up around them. But he still hadn't told her what was really bothering him.
"But?" She inquired more firmly and he sighed in defeat.
"But you can't come with me!"
. o O o .
Hiccup saw how her initial stunned expression first turned into disbelief and then into betrayal and rage.
"You promised!" She snarled and he winced at the accusing tone of her voice. "You promised you wouldn't try to protect me anymore! You promised that we would face any danger together, come what may! Dammit, you promised, Hiccup!" Her eyes were filling with tears and she turned away from him. Well, that went just as great as he had expected…
"I know what I promised." He replied, fighting to keep his voice calm. If they started to argue now he would never get the chance to explain it to her. "Believe me, I remember my oath. But this is different!" She interrupted him by turning back toward him and giving him her deadliest glare.
"How?" She spat. "How is this different? Why can't I come with you if not because this trip might be dangerous?" He bit his lower lip but otherwise forced himself to not evade her rage in any way. She would see it as a proof, as justification for her anger and wouldn't listen to him anymore.
"This trip won't be dangerous." He kept his eyes on her, begging her to listen, to understand. She didn't interrupt him this time which was a good sign at least. So he added in a lower voice: "Not for me, at least." Her expression turned into a confused frown so he hurried to explain further. "The Redthorns… There's something else about them. Something that shot them out at the chiefs' meetings, even long before we made peace with the dragons. It's… about their attitude toward women." He wanted to take a break, to see how she would react but he knew she probably wouldn't let him continue so he hurried on. "Their men don't see women as their equal, far from it. In their tribe, women are property and nothing more. They have to be quiet, obedient and… available. This trip won't be dangerous for me or the others but it would be for you!" He watched her pleadingly as she processed what he'd said. It was obvious when she'd come to a conclusion. Her face turned into a stony mask and she snorted harshly.
"I wouldn't be in danger, I'm quite capable of defending myself. But I would be the danger, right? You said it yourself, 'We have to abide by their rules'… You know I wouldn't stand back and let them treat me like that. I would endanger your treaty, right?" Despite her anger, his faces softened and he reached out to caress hers once again. Gods, how much he loved her, so smart and never afraid…
"I won't lie to you, that was part of the reasoning," He smiled at her apologetically. "But you are wrong when you think you wouldn't be in any danger." A memory rose in his head, many years old and he had hoped very much to never relive it again... He shuddered and his hands clenched into fists. To think, she could-
She huffed in irritation and clearly wanted to answer him back but he beat her to it. "I know how good a fighter you are!" He reminded her firmly. "But that wouldn't matter if they ambushed you with five men or even more. They wouldn't fight fair and if they thought you were getting ideas above your station then not even the fact that you are my wife would save you." He swallowed and felt the urge to draw her closer. She stiffened for a moment like she wanted to protest but then let him do so. Apparently, she wasn't angry anymore, or, rather not that angry at least…
"This is not keeping you safe while I head for the danger on my own, alright? This is just keeping you safe! I-" He took a shuddering breath. "I don't want you to ever place a foot on their land! Because that would be dangerous and unnecessarily so."
She was quiet for a few minutes and when she spoke again, her voice was calm and reasonable. "So, you're not taking any women with you on that trip? Ruff and Valka will stay here, too?"
He wasn't sure what she intended with this question but there was no point in withholding anything anyway. So, he nodded and said: "Yes, and Heather, too, if that works out. She, Dagur and Fishlegs are going to be here in a few days and then we'll set sails the next morning."
She gasped a humorless laughter. "So, it'll be just you boys going on a vacation? You, Dagur, Fishlegs, Snot, Tuff, and Eret? Right, I'm not worried at all anymore…"
"Well, I thought about bringing Spitelout and some of the other Elder, too. Those, who've dealt with the Redthorns before." He shrugged. "But aside from that, yeah, that's the plan."
She snorted again. "And that's supposed to make me feel better? Some old men to watch your back?" She paused for a moment, then shook her head and asked: "Toothless or me?"
"Erm… what?" he asked, not understanding what she meant.
"If you think I'll let you leave with only those muttonheads as backup then you're wrong! I know our friends have grown up, too, became responsible and all and are good fighters and I know every man would give his life to save yours but still. Either you'll bring Toothless or me to watch over you, it is your decision!"
"But…" he sputtered perplexedly. Hadn't she listened? "They wouldn't accept Toothless, the negotiations would be over before they even began!"
"I'm not saying he should come with you to the village! But…" She exhaled sharply and shrugged insecurely. "I don't know… Maybe he could stay in the forests nearby so he could reach you when you need him? You could equip him with that automatic tailfin you made for him once so he can fly on his own. I know he didn't like it but I'm sure he'd accept it under these circumstances! He could hunt on his own and hide from any villagers. He…" She trailed off and buried her face against his chest. "It's that or I'll come with you! Your choice!"
He felt her trembling in his arms and swallowed. She was worried… That was something he could hardly begrudge her… Gods, he had been worried, too, when he'd read what Dagur was planning! The Redthorns weren't an easy tribe to deal with and the thought of a peace treaty with people like them made him sick. But it was still better than open war. If there was even the slightest chance of avoiding that then he had to take it! Even if it came with a risk as well…
Her idea wasn't bad though, he had to give her that. It could work and it would make him feel much better on this journey. And if it served to keep her away from those horrible men, well, there was no choice to be made, really.
"I'll start rebuilding that tailfin at dawn then." He stated soberly. In his arms, she sobbed audibly but nodded, accepting his choice.
"I'll miss you horribly!" she said in a small voice close to breaking and he pulled her closer to him. Had they ever been separated for that long before? He couldn't remember that ever to have happened…
"I know," he murmured into her hair. "I'll miss you, too!"
Next Chapter
You could stay
Another one-shot I wrote, set between ‘Blindsided’ and ‘Shell Shocked’.
This story was a chance for me to get another bit of my personal headcanon down. And I want to explain that one before we get started here, lest I get too many angry comments on how they behave totally out of character… We all know Astrid to be the fearless warrior, never afraid of anything and we also know Hiccup to be more cautious, sometimes even shy and awkward. But I believe that, when it comes to their intimate relationship, their roles are reversed.
Astrid never was good when it came to social interactions, not when they were meaningful and important. She wouldn’t even open up to Heather when it comes to her feelings.
Hiccup, on the other hand, gets far more secure when he knows something is important. He then is able to scramble up every bit of confidence needed.
So, yes, I believe that when it comes to intimacy, Astrid is the shy one, as it is hard for her to open up, while Hiccup takes the lead, as he’s used to acting despite his feelings for her by now.
“…and then, hopefully, we can confront Viggo without any further interruption.” Hiccup said excitedly. “With you and me and Toothless, he’ll have no choice than to hand back the Dragon Eye! That’s it! We did it!” He walked around the table, still staring down at the model with all those tiny figurines and notes and ran his hands through his disheveled hair. “That… that really could work!” He looked up at her, eyes gleaming and Astrid couldn’t help but smile back at him. But, Odin, she was tired!
They’d spend hours in his hut now. This morning, Heather and Dagur had shown up and had asked for some help on Berserk Island. There were boulders to be blown up and a lot of useless wood to be burned down, ruins of former houses that needed to be removed before new ones could be built. Of course, with Windshear and Shattermaster they would have been able to do all this on their own but when it came to blowing stuff up and burning things down, nobody was as efficient as Snotlout and the Twins.
Hiccup had been reluctant to go, though. During the past few days, they’d begun to work on a plan to confront Viggo and he wasn’t exactly keen on the idea to interrupt that, now that they were finally making progress. In addition, Heather, who always saw more than anyone else, had only needed one glance at them, at the way they, Astrid and Hiccup, looked at each other, to know. She then had come up with an idea that suited everyone, even though Hiccup had been reluctant, again, to agree. He still felt like it was his responsibility to watch over the Twins even though they were hardly the troublemakers they once had been and Heather had already proven her capability to rein them in, anyway.
It hadn’t been hard to convince Fishlegs to go with them. Meatlug could be of great use in removing rubble, too, as well as producing Gronkle Iron for later use and Fishlegs’ knowledge of architecture would also be helpful. And then, he was excited to spend a few days with Heather anyway. So the Berserk siblings had stayed for lunch and afterward, all their friends had left Outpost Island. None of them had thought twice about it, except Heather, who’d winked at her once, and why should they? This wasn’t the first time she and Hiccup were all on their own, after all. They’d been on regular scouting patrols together for four years now, this was no different. Except, it was! Because Hiccup had kissed her after she’d regained her sight and now everything was different!
Although, not that different, really… After their friends had left, the two of them had returned to Hiccup’s hut just like on all the other days before and had brooded over their plan to finally get the Dragon Eye back from Viggo and Ryker. After those first awkward days of their relationship, they’d been able to work out some kind of routine by now. It wasn’t like they purposefully wanted to lie about their relationship to their friends. But being together was awkward enough even without the ever prying eyes of Team Snotnuts so they hadn’t said anything yet. Instead, they’d tried to concentrate on their plan, which would have been entirely impossible with one of their friends around, always trying to catch them doing things they weren’t supposed to do.
Astrid watched Hiccup as he now went over their plan once more. Their plan to gather every single available dragon rider, pair them into small groups and attack Viggo’s outpost in one strategical assault. He was enthusiastic about it and with good reason. This was a good plan and Astrid liked it all the more because of the way it had come to pass in the first place. This plan combined both their assets perfectly, her knowledge of fighting and how to best use their different skills to their advantage and Hiccup’s strategic mind to combine it all into one executable plan. They were good together!
She raised her hand to cover her mouth as she yawned. It was long past nightfall, surely past midnight as well and these had been many long hours with this to her rather unfamiliar activity of planning and discussing. She was tired but it was different from the fatigue she was used to. Normally, her body told her it had had enough activity for one day and needed rest but clearly, that wasn’t the case today. No, today it was her mind that was tired, her head felt like it was filled with wool and thinking became harder. She really needed to go to bed!
Astrid stood up and walked over to him, to say good night and maybe steal a kiss and embrace. She liked these little gestures, these proofs that, finally, they weren’t just friends anymore. It had taken a long time to reach this point and even these little things were still so new, so meaningful. They hadn’t kissed often so far, not real kisses at least. These playful pecks of their youth didn’t count! Kissing wasn’t something that came naturally for them and with all the work they had around the Edge and with this plan… Well, every single one had been a highlight so far, the one he’d given her that day at the stables, the one she’d stolen early in the morning a few days later when they’d met in their clubhouse while everyone else was still asleep, that first, deep good night kiss they’d shared a few days ago and the others thereafter, that had been far more cautious than that first one.
“Hiccup?” She addressed him self-consciously. Dammit, why was her usual confidence not working around him anymore? This was Hiccup, the same Hiccup she’d happily punched or embraced without further thought. Why was this so hard all of a sudden? “I think, we’ve been through this enough times now. It’s pretty late so…” She trailed off, hoping he would react, look up at her, maybe even offer to walk her to her hut. Not, that that was necessary, but it was nice. Walking together, even if it was just this small distance, was nice! It was a way of getting rid of all these important thoughts about plans and tactics and, for that short time at least, just thinking about each other, of them, together.
But Hiccup didn’t react, really, just grunted distractedly and reached for one of the small figurines to adjust its position. “Hiccup, I’ll go now. It’s late and I’m tired,” she tried anew. “And I wouldn’t want to fall off the bridges later.” She added half-jokingly. Maybe she would at least get him to laugh if nothing else.
But, again, there was no reasonable reaction and he just nodded. He reached for another figurine. “‘As you wish…” he murmured absentmindedly. “You know you could stay, right?”
Astrid had turned, resigned to leave without a kiss that night, but then stopped dead in her tracks, thunderstruck. What had he said? She whirled back toward him, to stare at him, dumbfounded but he still didn’t react and just leaned heavily on the table, engrossed in his thought. “What?” she asked aloud. Surely he hadn’t meant that like it had sounded, right? Her heart was racing at the mere thought, he could… could have implied… But no! Surely, he hadn’t! Not that she didn't… want to, but… Freya, they’d only kissed a few times so far! She knew Hiccup well enough to know that if she would have to decide now, she would choose to stay with him for the rest of her life but… Hel, that didn’t mean…
She felt herself blushing as she stared at her boyfriend. Even this term was still so strange! How could he say something like that and be completely unperturbed by it? But then, he wasn't… In one moment, he was still looking thoughtfully down on the table and in the next he stiffened, flinched and slowly, very slowly, finally turned toward her.
“You’re not Fishlegs.”
She blinked at him, uncomprehending. Why was he staring at her like she was a ghost, some terrifying monster to haunt him? And of course, she wasn’t Fishlegs! “Do I look like Fishlegs?” She asked angrily, her eyebrows drawn together. If this was supposed to be some joke then it wasn’t a funny one! But Hiccup back paddled, eyes wide and hands raised to ward her off or calm her down, she wasn’t sure which one.
“No! No, of course not! It’s just… I-I’m not used to you… being here, I mean…” He took a shaky breath and gulped. “I mean, normally it’s Fishlegs with whom I’m working through the nights,” he explained more coherently. “And more often than not, he stays. Sleeps on the floor, over there…” He gestured toward the corner where his small workshop was and where the heat of his forge outside provided a comfortable sleeping place. For being on the floor…
Astrid relaxed. So, he hadn’t implied… hadn’t asked her to spend the night with him after all. “I see…” She whispered and averted her eyes. Dammit, why was she disappointed now? “That… makes more sense… I think. More than me… here…” She broke off and bit her lip. Not, that she wanted to actually have… have sex with him… She wasn’t ready for that yet! But staying? Sleeping next to him, warm in his arms? Why was this thought so appealing all of a sudden?
“That… makes more sense… I think. More than me… here…”
“No!” Hiccup agreed hastily. “No, that wouldn't…” Mortified, his gaze wandered through the room. Thor, how could he have been so stupid? Ask Astrid if she wanted to stay? Wanted to spend the night here? In his hut? With him? Not that he wouldn’t want her to, but… Gods, she was Astrid Hofferson, the fact that she was here, now, with him, was incredible on its own. He still could hardly believe that he really was this lucky! And of course, he wanted her to stay, had dreamed of barely anything else for years but, oh Gods, he couldn’t tell her that! He still barely dared to get close to her, even though she seemed to like it. And he wanted… Oh, Thor, he wanted her to stay! Not… not like that! But… But he wanted… “But I want…” Holy Helheim, had he said that out loud? He bit his lip and cautiously glanced at her, whether she’d be angry. Gods, she would have every right to be…
But she wasn't… “You want… what?” She asked quietly. Too quietly maybe? Gods, he was dead.
“Nothing!” He said hastily. “I… nothing… really!”
She dropped her head and nodded slightly. “You… want me to go, then?” she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.
“Yes! Ahm… no! I…” Gods, he wished he could see her eyes right now, wished he could guess what she was thinking. He didn’t want her to go… “You… You could stay… if you want.” It was a risk! It was a risk and he knew that. But he really didn’t want her to go! This was too perfect, with their friends gone, no one would ask any questions in the morning. And it was not like he wanted to… to have… Not now, not tonight, not…. Not really! But he wanted to be with her, to hold her, to kiss her more than just once before they parted. Oh, Thor, please, let her stay!
“Okay” came her quiet answer and she looked up at him again. Her expression was cautious, maybe even a little frightened but there was this gleam in her eyes. A gleam that spoke of excitement and anticipation and his heartbeat quickened. She made one hesitant step toward him but then stopped, insecurity clear on her face. He gulped once and then made a decision.
She had chosen him. She had chosen to believe in him, back then when she’d first found him with Toothless in the cove, had chosen to follow his lead when he’d started to train dragons for Berk’s aid and when he’d decided to fly out and look for new land all these months ago. She had chosen to stay at the Edge, had chosen to return after she’d instructed the A-Team. A few days ago, she’d chosen him and now she had chosen to stay. That had to mean something… Up until now, there had been only one living being whom he trusted completely, around whom he had never felt the need to act out anything he wasn’t. One being who wouldn’t judge him and in return also trusted him completely. Toothless had given him the confidence he’d needed to become the person he was now but if he wanted to go on he probably would need more. Another person with whom he could be himself and more confidence as well. And she had chosen him…
He took a deep breath and made two quick steps with his long legs toward her, startling her and pulled her into a tight embrace, burying his face into her hair. It was another risk, maybe he was too forward, maybe she would push him away and leave, for now, or for good. If she did, he wasn’t sure how he would go on, could go on, but he needed to take it anyway. They stood at a threshold, with their lives in constant danger, fighting almost every day and with an uncertain future ahead of them. He didn’t know whether their plan to attack Viggo would really work or would end in a suicide mission. And they had already wasted so much time because of his failure, he didn’t want to waste any more, especially not now when they’d finally made up their minds. Theirs was not a relationship that needed time to grow, they already knew each other so well. All they needed was getting used to this new situation. Or so he thought at least… Freya, please, let her think so, too! Either she would choose him again now or he didn’t really care what happened to him…
For an agonizingly long moment, nothing happened though. She was stiff as a statue in his arms, not moving, neither toward nor away from him and not saying one word, not making any noise. Gods, if this should be the last time he would hold her…
And then he felt her hands through his tunic and leather armor, not on his chest, not pushing him away but on his back, holding him close, drawing him in. He gasped into her hair, the relief that washed through him almost painful. She had chosen him, again.
A minute later, she leaned against him more heavily and sighed. “I… really am tired, you know…” she mumbled reluctantly and Hiccup chuckled shakily. He pulled back to look at her and gave her a reassuring smile.
“Let’s go to sleep then,” He took her hand and lead her up to the higher platform where Toothless already lay on his customary stone. Tiredly, he opened one of his big green eyes when he heard them, his gaze wandering from him to Astrid and back again. He blinked once and then closed the eye again, hiding behind his remaining tailfin. With a small grin, Hiccup shook his head at the dragon and turned toward his nightstand. Out of habit, he loosened the bracers on his forearms and pulled them off before he turned to glance at Astrid.
She stood unmoving and pale, shaking slightly and just stared unseeingly through him. Hiccup frowned. What was up with her? She wasn’t usually timid like this, not even when it came to putting off their armor in the presence of one another. They’d done that on multiple occasions during the last couple years after all. Like, to go swimming or at nights around the fireplace when they’d been on longer excursions. This wasn’t any different. Or was it? He stepped toward her, his gaze questioningly. “Astrid?” he asked and she flinched.
“I-I’m fine!” Her voice was shaking and he saw her swallowing. “It’s just…” She glanced up at him for a moment and blushed. “I…” she shrugged awkwardly and crossed her arms in front of her.
Hiccup watched her for a moment as her gaze wandered through the room, never meeting his eyes. She wasn’t comfortable being here… “Do you want to leave?” he asked calmly. If she wanted to go, he wouldn’t hold her back. He wanted her to stay, but not if she wasn’t at ease with it. He wanted her to be happy. Above all else, he just wanted her to be happy.
She bit her lip and then slowly shook her head. “No,” she whispered. “No, I, I don’t want to leave.” Another blush spread over her face and Hiccup finally understood. She felt just as awkward as he’d felt a few minutes ago before he’d decided to not waste any more time. But he wanted this to work! Maybe he was pushing his luck, but he really, really wanted this to work…
“May I help with your armor then?” He tried to keep his voice level and calm, to not let his own nervousness show. He hoped that would help her to calm down as well. Astrid’s eyes widened but she nodded mutely and Hiccup stepped closer to her, close enough to inhale the mayweed scent of her hair. Oh, Thor, this is going to be interesting. He thought dizzily and carefully reached beneath her left pauldron to unclasp the buckle there. He knew how to put off her armor, after all. He’d made it! Carefully, he lifted the leather and metal over her head and placed it on the trunk beside them before he turned back toward her. And gulped, suddenly self-conscious after all. He hadn’t thought this through! Her skirt? There was no way he could put that one off, too! Luckily, he didn’t need to.
When his eye met hers again, he noticed the change in her. She wasn’t as timid as before anymore, her eyes gleaming, filled with a soft emotion he couldn’t name. She stepped even closer toward him, stretched and a moment later, her lips met his. He gasped in surprise, the sound lost against her mouth before his eyes fluttered shut and he kissed her back.
This kiss was way better than the ones they’d shared during the last days, better even than that first deep kiss three days ago, almost as good as their first. He felt her soft body beneath his hands as his arms curled around her waist and he parted his lips as he felt her doing the same. Cautiously, he pushed his tongue out to meet hers, playfully, carefully exploring. He could lose himself in kisses like this one…
He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when they parted, breathlessly. Seconds? Minutes? Years? He didn’t care… All he cared about was the girl in his arms with her wide smile and brightly gleaming eyes. “Can we do that again?” she asked, panting slightly and he gasped, his lips twitching into a grin before he leaned in to kiss her again.
A part of his mind noticed how they got closer to his bed, how she kicked off her boots and shimmied out of her skirt and how he, too, shrugged off his boot. Somewhere along the way, he’d even managed to get rid of his leather armor and fake leg, though he didn’t remember how really. All he remembered later was how he’d held Astrid Hofferson, the girl of his dreams, in his arms, how they’d kissed and cuddled for he didn’t know how long and how she’d finally fallen asleep, nestled into his arms and blanket, relaxed and with a smile on her rosy lips. He stared down at her, watched her sleep and still could hardly believe how lucky he was. There was only one downside to this, but it was one he was willing to take.
He wouldn’t get any sleep tonight.
So sad… So heartbroken… 😭😭😭
Hiccstrid ~ Bring Me The Night And another new video, purely Hiccstrid this time. It was inspired by ‘Homecoming Queen’, the first in ladyamethyst21′s ‘How to train your Hiccstrid’ series on fanfiction.net (Warning: M-rated).
I hope you’ll like it 😋
And, fitting for the final of ‘The Aftermath of being stupid’: The new cover image 😋







